self-awareness Archives

Sherri Lynn: The most profound teachers often aren’t human. Meet the furred, finned, and feathered heroes who changed one life forever

Liz Rubico October 17, 2024 October 16, 2024Meet The Authors

The Most Profound Teachers Often Aren’t Human. Meet the Furred, Finned, and Feathered Heroes Who Changed One Life Forever The greatest lessons in life don’t always come from people. Sometimes, they show up in the form of wagging tails, fluttering wings, or gliding fins. Animals have this amazing way of teaching us things we never knew we needed—things like patience, unconditional love, and how to live fully in the moment. Sherri Lynn, author of All My Heroes Have Fur, Fins & Feathers: An Animal Communicator’s Healing Journey of Awakening, shares how animals became her most unexpected but profound teachers, guiding her through life’s challenges and helping her discover healing, joy, and deeper self-awareness. Every animal in her life had something unique to teach. A once-abandoned dog showed her the power of forgiveness and how trust can be rebuilt, no matter the past. A fiercely independent cat taught her to set boundaries while still holding space for love. There was even a wild bird that appeared in a moment of personal darkness, reminding her that sometimes we need to let go and embrace freedom. And let’s not forget the ocean creatures—dolphins and fish—who revealed the importance of play, intuition, and simply being. The beautiful thing is, animals don’t teach through lectures or long conversations. Their lessons come through their presence, their behavior, and how they live in each moment. A dog’s joy when chasing a ball or a bird’s morning song reminds us to find happiness in the little things. They…

Adele Saccarelli-Cavallaro: In the search for Oz, the greatest treasures aren’t found on the road, but within ourselves.

Liz Rubico October 8, 2024 October 7, 2024Meet The Authors

In “Searching for Oz” by Adele Saccarelli-Cavallaro, we’re taken on a journey that feels familiar to all of us—the search for meaning, fulfillment, and that elusive feeling of “having made it.” For so many, the idea of Oz represents this magical place where all of life’s problems are solved. It’s a destination where everything finally falls into place. But as Adele beautifully illustrates throughout the book, the greatest treasures we seek aren’t found at the end of the yellow brick road. In fact, they aren’t found on the road at all. They’re within us. Think about how often we look for happiness outside of ourselves. We set goals, chase achievements, or seek approval, thinking, “Once I get there, I’ll be happy,” or “Once I achieve this, I’ll feel complete.” Whether it’s a better job, a relationship, or financial success, it’s easy to believe that something external will magically bring fulfillment. But Adele reminds us that the real treasure—whether it’s courage, self-love, peace, or wisdom—has always been inside us. We just forget to look there. In the book, we’re reminded of the characters from the classic tale: the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Each of them believed they were missing something essential—a brain, a heart, or courage—and they thought Oz was the place to find it. But by the end of their journey, they discovered that everything they needed was already within them. The Scarecrow had his intelligence, the Tin Man had a heart, and the Lion had…

Joanna Kleinman: What if the voice in your head that says ‘you’re not good enough’ isn’t your true voice at all?

Liz Rubico September 13, 2024 September 11, 2024Meet The Authors

What if the voice in your head that constantly tells you that you’re not good enough isn’t really your own? That voice, the inner critic that doubts us all the time, challenges us, and destroys our confidence, is something that many of us are all too familiar with. It may sound so powerful, whispering things like “You’ll never succeed” or “You’re not smart enough,” but the startling fact is that this voice isn’t actually your own. This critical inner monologue isn’t a reflection of who you are, according to Joanna Kleinman’s book Dethroning Your Inner Critic: The Four-Step Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Empowerment. It’s a story you’ve been telling yourself, shaped over time by internalized pressures, traumatic events, and worries. Consider this: How often do we allow our inner critic to take charge? That voice that tells us we’re not good enough causes us to doubt ourselves, shy away from difficulties, and turn off possibilities. But according to Kleinman, this voice is nothing more than a pattern—a habit of thought that we’ve learned to believe. It doesn’t represent our authentic self. So, if it’s not who we really are, what do we do about it? Kleinman’s book offers a transformative path out of this self-doubt. She lays out a four-step process designed to help us recognize the inner critic for what it is—a false narrative that keeps us stuck. The first step is recognizing that this voice isn’t yours. It’s an old script, often influenced by past criticisms, failures, or…